The structure of Cu–Zr glasses using a colloidal proxy system

We present a novel experimental technique for studying the structure of metallic glasses (specifically Cu–Zr) through a proxy system of charged colloidal particles. A dense suspension of two types of colloidal particles that match the relative size ratio and approximate the attractive interaction of Cu and Zr atoms is created. Confocal microscopy images are analyzed to find the location of tens of thousands of particles at each composition studied. The particle locations are used to determine the packing fraction, partial radial distribution functions and partial coordination numbers of each component as well as the shape of clusters (central atom and first shell neighbors) that form. These results are compared to experimental and simulation literature on Cu–Zr systems, with good agreement found among all structural properties.